SOURCE GUIDE TO OUNDLE’S HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY & TOPOGRAPHY
Compiled from information supplied by members of Oundle Historical Society, U3A Local History Group 1, Middle Nene Archaeological Group, Oundle Museum staff and other helpful individuals.
Visitors are drawn to Oundle by the fine stone buildings and ancient layout; a town blessed with a substantial amount of written history, which, thanks to the records of Peterborough Abbey, includes a wealth of early documents. Numerous volumes and papers have since been written and detailed below.
The following cannot hope to cover all eventualities required by the serious research student working along specific lines of enquiry. However, archival material is available in local and national record offices, libraries and museums, as well as diocesan, local council and specific institutional archives; much of this material can be sourced through internet and online catalogue referencing. Online sources are constantly being updated and the list cited below falls well short of the available range; website addresses are also liable to change. Online search engines, Wikipedia and the like can be rewarding avenues of research; however caution is advised as inaccurate entries are not uncommon. Website addresses are entered below in either TOPIC lists or ‘Online Sources/miscellaneous’;
The history of any locality is always a history in the making; attention is drawn to current publications such as Nene Valley News, The Oundle Chronicle, Oundle Town Council’s Oundle Oracle and local newspapers; see TOPICS section Newspapers/Magazines.
The site will be updated as fresh material becomes available. The Society would be grateful to receive corrections and additional material by use of the ‘Contact Us’ website link.
To access entries choose TOPIC from list below; similarly highlighted TOPICs at end of ‘GO TO’ entries refer to relevant material in another TOPIC list.
Visitors are drawn to Oundle by the fine stone buildings and ancient layout; a town blessed with a substantial amount of written history, which, thanks to the records of Peterborough Abbey, includes a wealth of early documents. Numerous volumes and papers have since been written and detailed below.
The following cannot hope to cover all eventualities required by the serious research student working along specific lines of enquiry. However, archival material is available in local and national record offices, libraries and museums, as well as diocesan, local council and specific institutional archives; much of this material can be sourced through internet and online catalogue referencing. Online sources are constantly being updated and the list cited below falls well short of the available range; website addresses are also liable to change. Online search engines, Wikipedia and the like can be rewarding avenues of research; however caution is advised as inaccurate entries are not uncommon. Website addresses are entered below in either TOPIC lists or ‘Online Sources/miscellaneous’;
The history of any locality is always a history in the making; attention is drawn to current publications such as Nene Valley News, The Oundle Chronicle, Oundle Town Council’s Oundle Oracle and local newspapers; see TOPICS section Newspapers/Magazines.
The site will be updated as fresh material becomes available. The Society would be grateful to receive corrections and additional material by use of the ‘Contact Us’ website link.
To access entries choose TOPIC from list below; similarly highlighted TOPICs at end of ‘GO TO’ entries refer to relevant material in another TOPIC list.
Agriculture
Austell Survey: (1565), a survey of Oundle Manor giving details of Oundle tenements and field system, termed ‘field book’ in Hall 1995, original in NRO ML116.
Austell Survey: (1665), a survey of Oundle Manor, transcript of above with current owners/tenants names added,
Original in NRO, & OM
Enclosure Award of 1807: copy in NRO and OM, for passage of Act through Parliament see House of Commons Journal for 1806-07, copy in Public Library, Northampton. Map by Edward Arden (1810) in NRO and copy OM
Enclosure Maps data: http://hds.essex.ac.uk/history/data/online.asp (History Data Service – University of Essex), for ‘Enclosure Maps database’, search catalogue and source Northamptonshire direct, this in turn leads to all the county enclosure map data
Hall, David, ‘Enclosure in Northamptonshire’, the county enclosures, brief mention of Oundle, NP&P,
Vol. 9 no. 4, (1997-98)
Hall, David, The Open Fields of Northamptonshire, (NRS, Northampton, 1995)
Franklin, William, Thomas Cowper Land Surveyor, details C18 surveying techniques, life & work of surveyors with particular ref. to enclosures, ref. to farm survey in Ashton 1764, (NRS, Northampton, 2019)
Hodgson-Jones, Lawrence, ‘Farming & its effects on rural life’, Aspects of Oundle’s History, pp. 11-13, (Oundle &
District U3A Local History Group 1, 2014)
King, Edmund, Peterborough Abbey 1086-1310 – a Study in the Land Market, numerous Oundle entries,
substantial list of mss sources in bibliography, (Cambridge: CUP, 1973)
Pitt, William, General View of the Agriculture in the County of Northampton, interesting comments on Oundle and surrounding area during the late eighteenth century and c1807 (Enclosure of Common Fields), (Richard Phillips, Bridge-Street London, 1809), to view Google, William Pitt and book title and open: https://books.google.co.uk
Tate, W. E., ‘Inclosure Movements in Northamptonshire’, several Oundle references for background reading, NP&P, Vol. 1 no. 2, (1949)
Tyler, James, ‘Inclosure of Open Fields in Northamptonshire’, no Oundle references, but useful background reading, NP&P, Vol. 1 no. 4, (1951)
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Austell Survey: (1665), a survey of Oundle Manor, transcript of above with current owners/tenants names added,
Original in NRO, & OM
Enclosure Award of 1807: copy in NRO and OM, for passage of Act through Parliament see House of Commons Journal for 1806-07, copy in Public Library, Northampton. Map by Edward Arden (1810) in NRO and copy OM
Enclosure Maps data: http://hds.essex.ac.uk/history/data/online.asp (History Data Service – University of Essex), for ‘Enclosure Maps database’, search catalogue and source Northamptonshire direct, this in turn leads to all the county enclosure map data
Hall, David, ‘Enclosure in Northamptonshire’, the county enclosures, brief mention of Oundle, NP&P,
Vol. 9 no. 4, (1997-98)
Hall, David, The Open Fields of Northamptonshire, (NRS, Northampton, 1995)
Franklin, William, Thomas Cowper Land Surveyor, details C18 surveying techniques, life & work of surveyors with particular ref. to enclosures, ref. to farm survey in Ashton 1764, (NRS, Northampton, 2019)
Hodgson-Jones, Lawrence, ‘Farming & its effects on rural life’, Aspects of Oundle’s History, pp. 11-13, (Oundle &
District U3A Local History Group 1, 2014)
King, Edmund, Peterborough Abbey 1086-1310 – a Study in the Land Market, numerous Oundle entries,
substantial list of mss sources in bibliography, (Cambridge: CUP, 1973)
Pitt, William, General View of the Agriculture in the County of Northampton, interesting comments on Oundle and surrounding area during the late eighteenth century and c1807 (Enclosure of Common Fields), (Richard Phillips, Bridge-Street London, 1809), to view Google, William Pitt and book title and open: https://books.google.co.uk
Tate, W. E., ‘Inclosure Movements in Northamptonshire’, several Oundle references for background reading, NP&P, Vol. 1 no. 2, (1949)
Tyler, James, ‘Inclosure of Open Fields in Northamptonshire’, no Oundle references, but useful background reading, NP&P, Vol. 1 no. 4, (1951)
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- Austell Survey (1565), sketch plan - Maps & Plans
- Foard, Hall, & Partida, 2009 - Topography
- Foard & Ballinger, 2002 - Maps & Plans
- Partida, Story-Taylor & Boud, 2005 - Topography
- Rectory House & Farm, Oundle, 1860 - Maps & Plans
- Roman and early medieval settlement within the Nene and Welland valley area, Upex, 2002 - Archaeology
Bracketed information indicates where originals or copies can be viewed. Numerous publications designed to help the local historian to research maps are available: Research Material for the Local Historian, Emmison, (Carter & Thompson, 2005); Online Sources; a wide range of Northamptonshire County Maps were produced in the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries. see also: Whitaker, 1948) with 691 entries (Topography), Parker, 1998, 2001, 2004, (History/Archaeology/Development). Map entries listed in Whitaker 1948, are followed by ‘W’.
Ancient Maps of Northamptonshire: numerous sites can be found from the following search engines:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~genmaps/genfiles/COU_Pages/ENG_pages/nth.htm, lists approx. 45 Northamptonshire maps and 30 cartographers ranging from 1610 (John Speed) to 1892 (George Phillip)
Archer J., Map of Northamptonshire, 1842, Oundle is indicated as one of the county Polling centres: (Parker 2004, Pl. 13) W
Archer J., Map of Northamptonshire, 1848, depicting Northamptonshire railways, shows line passing through Oundle, (Parker 2004 Pl. 14) W
Armstrong, M. J., 18th Century, Survey of the Great Post Roads, includes the Great North Road linear route map passing east of Oundle, (Parker, 1998, Pl. 57) cf. Paterson map of 1785 & Ogilby map of 1719, below
Austell Survey (1565), sketch plan based on the survey was distributed to members of the Oundle Buildings Course in the 1980s, (copy in OM)
Available Freehold Building of Land at Oundle Northamptonshire: The Property of The Rock Freehold Land Society Limited, 38 Finsbury Pavement, London EC, early 1880s Plan showing the layout of prospective property sites at the south end of Rock Rd, and east side of Glapthorn Road, highlighting those purchased to date in red (OM); an indenture for the sale of one property outlining conditions of sale dtd. 1884, is held in OM
British Geological Society, maps, 1:50,000 or 1 inch to a mile, Kettering Sheet 171 (includes Oundle) see Taylor 1963 for explanation (Topography)
Bryant, Andrew, 1824-26, Map of Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire Libraries reprint, 1988, (copy OM) W
Burial sites, plans: St. Peter’s Churchyard, (Cooper 2002), (Religious & Church matters), St. Peter’s Churchyard and Town Cemetery, (Parker 2009, Pls. 2, 3 & 4), (Wills)
Cheffins, Charles, F., Map of the English and Scotch Railways, 1844, shows Oundle lines complete and line from Peterborough direct to Kings Cross as proposed, (photo facsimile OM), copies can be purchased from online specialists – sometimes listed by Amazon
Creighton, R., Map of Northamptonshire, 1842; parishes covered by Oundle Union Workhouse, (Parker 2009) W
Cuming, George, Land Surveyor, Oundle Street Plan, 1824, showing proposed improvements and occupants, incl. Cuming’s own dwelling and Post Office in North Street, (OS Bursar’s offices, Thomas 1998, Parker 2009)
Dix, Thomas, usher at OS, Plan, part of Oundle Parish surveyed under Dix’s guidance by Oundle schoolboys;
forefront to his book Land Surveying, 1799, ref. Smalley Law 1922, p. 119, shows early land enclosure and Rotten Row (now Station Road), various editions can be found and downloaded, the following incl. the forefront: https://archive.org/details/treatiseonlandsu00dixt
Eayre, T., Map of Northamptonshire, 1779, shows turnpike by the north bridge, Oundle roads no longer in existence, and Old Stamford Road, (NRO, Parker 1998 Pls.113 & 114 and detail in Archaeological desk-based heritage assessment of land at Glapthorn Road, Oundle, Northamptonshire, Report No. 15/187, 2015), 2nd edition 1791 by Thomas Jeffries, republished by Northamptonshire Libraries (OM) W
Foard & Ballinger, 2002, useful set of maps and plans appended, History/Archaeology/Development
Fotheringhay Castle and College are shown on a map c1638, (National Record Office, photo of original OM)
Gild of Our Lady, plan of Oundle showing Gild property based on the Oundle Terrier of 1565, note Jericho
Lane, (Walker 1956 p. 23), (Education)
Greenwood, Christopher, Map of the County of Northamptonshire – North-east sheet, (photocopy OM, from original in Cambridge University Library)
Grocers’ Company Plan, 1884, (OSA, Parker 2009 detail Pl. 22, online at OS Archives)
Holloway Estate Plan, c1879, land bordering St. Osythe Lane, South and Herne Roads showing plots sold in
June 1879 (NRO, Parker 2001 Pl. 56)
North Bridge Oundle, large coloured plan with elevations showing widening of the bridge in 1912, details of
the agreement are attached, and signed by County Surveyor, (OSL)
Norwood, Richard, Map of Warmington, 1621, based on Norwood’s detailed survey, (OSA, copy in OM)
Ogilby, John, Map of London Road, 1719, from the 1675 Britannia Atlas, linear route map passing west of Oundle, showing junctions to Oundle, at Clopton, Thrapston & Brigstock (copies of some sheets, together with copy of rare frontispiece OM, Aspects of Oundle, pp. 23-32, 2014, and for Online Sources view Britannia Atlas 1675) cf. Paterson map of 1785 and Armstrong, M. J., 18th Century map, Survey of the Great Post Roads
Ogilby, John (Olgilby’s Britannia 1675): https://www.fulltable.com/vts/m/map/ogilby/mna.htm
Ordnance Survey (1 inch to the mile), surveyed 1808-1817, first edition 1824 and 1835 reprint with additions, numerous later editions
Ordnance Survey (6 miles to the inch; 10:10,560), 1884 (revised 1899), 1842 to 1952, first surveyed 1882-1885 with 67 sheets, see Online Sources. W
Ordnance Survey Maps & Ordnance Survey 6inch Maps: www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk, for general information, or http://maps.nls.uk/os/6inch-england-and-wales/counties.html, to sort 6inch maps by County, area, & parish
Ordnance Survey, 1/2,500 (approx. 25 inches to the mile), 1885 (1stEdition), 1901, 1927, 755 sheets cover Northamptonshire, valuable source to trace development of Oundle town features e.g. Gas works, brewery, domestic and school buildings etc. (photocopies OM) W
Ordnance Survey, Surveyor’s Map of Oundle area, c1817, drawn by Boyce for first OS Map, approx. 2 inches to the mile (photo-facsimile OM and small photo on British Library website)
Osborn & Parker, 1994, (sketch map of Oundle, Pl.1)
Oundle & Ashton Enclosure Map, 1810, surveyor Edward Arden of Stamford, (NRO, photographic copy in OM), see online sources to view data on map
Oundle Field Name Map, compiled 1932, (NRO)
Oundle fields bordering River Nene, plan, 1841, (NRO Map 4670)
Oundle School Map, 1/2,500, revised 1964, shows houses owned by Oundle School in Glapthorn Road, Oundle
Brickworks – now Siddons Close, Sewage works on Occupation Road
Oundle Town Centre, plan, probably 1877, approx. 5 feet to the mile, (OM), for viewing contact Museum Office
Oundle Town Centre, 1978, plan showing archaeological remains discovered during 1978, NVRC, (OM)
Oundle Town in 1810, an enlarged detail of Enclosure Map, (OM)
Parker, Oundle in the News, Books 1, 2 & 3, (History/Archaeology/Development) & Oundle Wills and Headstones, (Wills), useful sketch maps locating entries and historical features
Paterson, D., Map of Great North Road, from Paterson’s British Itinerary, 1789, linear route map passing east of
Oundle, (Parker, 1998, Pls. 55, & 56) cf. Armstrong, M. J., 18th Century map, Survey of the Great Post Roads & Ogilby map of 1719
Rectory House & Farm, Oundle, plan, 1860, at time of sale by auction by Mr W. Moxton, (OM)
Smith, Charles, New Map of the County of Northampton, 1801, reprint of 1804 in Smith’s New English Atlas. cf. Eayre’s 1779 Map of Northamptonshire above, (NRO, Parker 2001 Pl. 65) W
Stanford, Edward, Oundle and its Neighbourhood, large undated map, London, signature in top right-hand corner of Edward Peach dated 1886, the Bramston property shaded pink (OSL)
Survey for Oundle Urban Sanitary Authority, shows existing and proposed sewers, (NRO, framed photo copy
of the whole map, OM, detail in Thomas 2003)
Walcote Estate Map, 1811, based on Enclosure Map, outlining property of William Walcot Esquire, Lord of the Oundle Rectory Manor, some names and written detail added by John Smith Esquire, indicates dwelling of Rev. John Shillibeer and proposed route of railway line, incorrectly dated in Swales 2016, p. 17, (NRO MAP/1725)
GO TO:
Browse - Online Sources
Hayward, 2004 - Railway
Rowlett, 2011 - Workhouse/Poor Law/Overseers’ Accounts
Ancient Maps of Northamptonshire: numerous sites can be found from the following search engines:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~genmaps/genfiles/COU_Pages/ENG_pages/nth.htm, lists approx. 45 Northamptonshire maps and 30 cartographers ranging from 1610 (John Speed) to 1892 (George Phillip)
Archer J., Map of Northamptonshire, 1842, Oundle is indicated as one of the county Polling centres: (Parker 2004, Pl. 13) W
Archer J., Map of Northamptonshire, 1848, depicting Northamptonshire railways, shows line passing through Oundle, (Parker 2004 Pl. 14) W
Armstrong, M. J., 18th Century, Survey of the Great Post Roads, includes the Great North Road linear route map passing east of Oundle, (Parker, 1998, Pl. 57) cf. Paterson map of 1785 & Ogilby map of 1719, below
Austell Survey (1565), sketch plan based on the survey was distributed to members of the Oundle Buildings Course in the 1980s, (copy in OM)
Available Freehold Building of Land at Oundle Northamptonshire: The Property of The Rock Freehold Land Society Limited, 38 Finsbury Pavement, London EC, early 1880s Plan showing the layout of prospective property sites at the south end of Rock Rd, and east side of Glapthorn Road, highlighting those purchased to date in red (OM); an indenture for the sale of one property outlining conditions of sale dtd. 1884, is held in OM
British Geological Society, maps, 1:50,000 or 1 inch to a mile, Kettering Sheet 171 (includes Oundle) see Taylor 1963 for explanation (Topography)
Bryant, Andrew, 1824-26, Map of Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire Libraries reprint, 1988, (copy OM) W
Burial sites, plans: St. Peter’s Churchyard, (Cooper 2002), (Religious & Church matters), St. Peter’s Churchyard and Town Cemetery, (Parker 2009, Pls. 2, 3 & 4), (Wills)
Cheffins, Charles, F., Map of the English and Scotch Railways, 1844, shows Oundle lines complete and line from Peterborough direct to Kings Cross as proposed, (photo facsimile OM), copies can be purchased from online specialists – sometimes listed by Amazon
Creighton, R., Map of Northamptonshire, 1842; parishes covered by Oundle Union Workhouse, (Parker 2009) W
Cuming, George, Land Surveyor, Oundle Street Plan, 1824, showing proposed improvements and occupants, incl. Cuming’s own dwelling and Post Office in North Street, (OS Bursar’s offices, Thomas 1998, Parker 2009)
Dix, Thomas, usher at OS, Plan, part of Oundle Parish surveyed under Dix’s guidance by Oundle schoolboys;
forefront to his book Land Surveying, 1799, ref. Smalley Law 1922, p. 119, shows early land enclosure and Rotten Row (now Station Road), various editions can be found and downloaded, the following incl. the forefront: https://archive.org/details/treatiseonlandsu00dixt
Eayre, T., Map of Northamptonshire, 1779, shows turnpike by the north bridge, Oundle roads no longer in existence, and Old Stamford Road, (NRO, Parker 1998 Pls.113 & 114 and detail in Archaeological desk-based heritage assessment of land at Glapthorn Road, Oundle, Northamptonshire, Report No. 15/187, 2015), 2nd edition 1791 by Thomas Jeffries, republished by Northamptonshire Libraries (OM) W
Foard & Ballinger, 2002, useful set of maps and plans appended, History/Archaeology/Development
Fotheringhay Castle and College are shown on a map c1638, (National Record Office, photo of original OM)
Gild of Our Lady, plan of Oundle showing Gild property based on the Oundle Terrier of 1565, note Jericho
Lane, (Walker 1956 p. 23), (Education)
Greenwood, Christopher, Map of the County of Northamptonshire – North-east sheet, (photocopy OM, from original in Cambridge University Library)
Grocers’ Company Plan, 1884, (OSA, Parker 2009 detail Pl. 22, online at OS Archives)
Holloway Estate Plan, c1879, land bordering St. Osythe Lane, South and Herne Roads showing plots sold in
June 1879 (NRO, Parker 2001 Pl. 56)
North Bridge Oundle, large coloured plan with elevations showing widening of the bridge in 1912, details of
the agreement are attached, and signed by County Surveyor, (OSL)
Norwood, Richard, Map of Warmington, 1621, based on Norwood’s detailed survey, (OSA, copy in OM)
Ogilby, John, Map of London Road, 1719, from the 1675 Britannia Atlas, linear route map passing west of Oundle, showing junctions to Oundle, at Clopton, Thrapston & Brigstock (copies of some sheets, together with copy of rare frontispiece OM, Aspects of Oundle, pp. 23-32, 2014, and for Online Sources view Britannia Atlas 1675) cf. Paterson map of 1785 and Armstrong, M. J., 18th Century map, Survey of the Great Post Roads
Ogilby, John (Olgilby’s Britannia 1675): https://www.fulltable.com/vts/m/map/ogilby/mna.htm
Ordnance Survey (1 inch to the mile), surveyed 1808-1817, first edition 1824 and 1835 reprint with additions, numerous later editions
Ordnance Survey (6 miles to the inch; 10:10,560), 1884 (revised 1899), 1842 to 1952, first surveyed 1882-1885 with 67 sheets, see Online Sources. W
Ordnance Survey Maps & Ordnance Survey 6inch Maps: www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk, for general information, or http://maps.nls.uk/os/6inch-england-and-wales/counties.html, to sort 6inch maps by County, area, & parish
Ordnance Survey, 1/2,500 (approx. 25 inches to the mile), 1885 (1stEdition), 1901, 1927, 755 sheets cover Northamptonshire, valuable source to trace development of Oundle town features e.g. Gas works, brewery, domestic and school buildings etc. (photocopies OM) W
Ordnance Survey, Surveyor’s Map of Oundle area, c1817, drawn by Boyce for first OS Map, approx. 2 inches to the mile (photo-facsimile OM and small photo on British Library website)
Osborn & Parker, 1994, (sketch map of Oundle, Pl.1)
Oundle & Ashton Enclosure Map, 1810, surveyor Edward Arden of Stamford, (NRO, photographic copy in OM), see online sources to view data on map
Oundle Field Name Map, compiled 1932, (NRO)
Oundle fields bordering River Nene, plan, 1841, (NRO Map 4670)
Oundle School Map, 1/2,500, revised 1964, shows houses owned by Oundle School in Glapthorn Road, Oundle
Brickworks – now Siddons Close, Sewage works on Occupation Road
Oundle Town Centre, plan, probably 1877, approx. 5 feet to the mile, (OM), for viewing contact Museum Office
Oundle Town Centre, 1978, plan showing archaeological remains discovered during 1978, NVRC, (OM)
Oundle Town in 1810, an enlarged detail of Enclosure Map, (OM)
Parker, Oundle in the News, Books 1, 2 & 3, (History/Archaeology/Development) & Oundle Wills and Headstones, (Wills), useful sketch maps locating entries and historical features
Paterson, D., Map of Great North Road, from Paterson’s British Itinerary, 1789, linear route map passing east of
Oundle, (Parker, 1998, Pls. 55, & 56) cf. Armstrong, M. J., 18th Century map, Survey of the Great Post Roads & Ogilby map of 1719
Rectory House & Farm, Oundle, plan, 1860, at time of sale by auction by Mr W. Moxton, (OM)
Smith, Charles, New Map of the County of Northampton, 1801, reprint of 1804 in Smith’s New English Atlas. cf. Eayre’s 1779 Map of Northamptonshire above, (NRO, Parker 2001 Pl. 65) W
Stanford, Edward, Oundle and its Neighbourhood, large undated map, London, signature in top right-hand corner of Edward Peach dated 1886, the Bramston property shaded pink (OSL)
Survey for Oundle Urban Sanitary Authority, shows existing and proposed sewers, (NRO, framed photo copy
of the whole map, OM, detail in Thomas 2003)
Walcote Estate Map, 1811, based on Enclosure Map, outlining property of William Walcot Esquire, Lord of the Oundle Rectory Manor, some names and written detail added by John Smith Esquire, indicates dwelling of Rev. John Shillibeer and proposed route of railway line, incorrectly dated in Swales 2016, p. 17, (NRO MAP/1725)
GO TO:
Browse - Online Sources
Hayward, 2004 - Railway
Rowlett, 2011 - Workhouse/Poor Law/Overseers’ Accounts
Diaries/Memories/Biographies |
